Is there a requirement to have 6 months’ experience every 2 years to maintain the validity of the Part-66 licence?
Answer
No, the validity of the Part-66 licence is not affected by recent experience. The requirement of 6 months’ experience within the preceding 2 years ensures that privileges are exercised by certifying staff with sufficient recent experience.
If you do not meet the experience requirement anymore, you lose your rights to exercise your privileges of certifying staff or support staff. The licence itself is valid 5 years from the last renewal. Only the certification privileges are affected by the “recency” of experience.
To regain your experience, you may:
- either continue to accumulate maintenance experience until you gain the missing time required, or
- meet the provisions for the issue of appropriate privileges, which means:
- going to a type-training course again, including OJT as necessary, or
- when the aircraft does not require an individual training (aircraft belonging in Group 2, 3 or 4), pass a type-examination, including practical assessment (see GM 66.A.20(b)2).
Neither a short period of job training session nor an aircraft type refresher training are acceptable.
Demonstration of experience should be made on the particular or similar aircraft and the definition of a ‘similar’ aircraft is provided in the AMC to 66.A.20(b)2.